Headaches, such as migraines, and occipital neuralgia are often incapacitating and may lead to significant consumption of drugs to treat the symptoms. However, a rather large number of people are unresponsive to drug treatment, leaving them to wait out the episode or to resort to coping mechanisms. For refractive occipital neuralgia, nerve ablation or separation may effectively treat the pain.
Occipital nerve stimulation may serve as an alternative for treatment of migraines or occipital neuralgia. For example, a dual channel implantable electrical generator may be implanted subcutaneously in a patient. A distal portion of first and second leads may be implanted in proximity to a left and right occipital nerve such that one or more electrode of the leads are in electrical communication with the occipital nerves. The proximal portions of the leads may then be connected to the signal generator such that electrical signals can be delivered from the signal generator to the electrodes to apply therapeutic signals to the occipital nerves Alternatively, two single channel implantable electrical generators may be employed, where the first lead is connected to one signal generator and the second lead is connected to the second signal generator.
Such methods of treatment generally require a rather extensive surgical procedure to place the stimulator, leads and other components that may be necessary. Decreasing the time necessary for the procedure may make the procedure better tolerated by patients, more adopted by surgeons, or both. Decreasing the amount of components that need to be secured via methods such as suturing could serve to decrease the time necessary to carry out the procedure.